Smooth-surface textile floor covering



R. G. JACKSON 1,765,589

SMOOTH SURFACE TEXTILE FLOOR COVERING June 24, 1930.

Filed June 6, 1927 Z didi gnua'ntoz fozunu Patented June 24, 1930 PATENT oFFIcE RALPH G. JACKSON, OF WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY SMOOTH-SURFACE TEXTILE FLOOR COVERING Appncation mea-Tune 6, 1927. serial No. 196,815.

This invention relates to lfloor coverings and to a process of making the same.

The product is a floor covering having the appearance of woven goods but in contrast to most woven goods, it has a smooth upper surface, similar to smooth surface coverings of the type described in the patent to Taylor No. 1,562,886.

The product is further peculiar in that its 1o decorated effects, instead of being merely stamped or printed, and thus on the surface but perhaps penetrating somewhat as is customary in printed fabrics, actually are impregnated substantially and most often completely through the textile fabric. Subsequent to the decoration, the goods are saturatedwith a transparent saturant to provide Wearing qualities for floor usage and to seal the decoration in the goods.

The floor covering provided by the present invention is of that general type known as smooth surface coverings, such as linoleum and felt base fioor coverings having decorative paint coats, and the invention is an improvement over such materials known as bitumen impregnated felt base coverings,

terns, and designs are applied directly to the material of the base and penetrate the base for part or all the way through the thickness thereof from top to.bottom. Another feature of the invention is that the covering possesses tensile strength to a pro'- nounced degree, and may be handled similarly to the usual smooth surface floor cover- 1n i(One advantageous feature of the product of this invention is the provision in a single continuous ply or layer of floor covering of decorative effects similar in appearance to those used in linoleums and felt base goods, but having superior wearing quality due to the fact that the design V'extends into the base. This latter quality is in contrast to decorative effects which are merely painted on the' surface or printed wit-h paint on the surface, or consisting of ordinary paper or with a lling material whichv-toughens the.

goods and renders it serviceable for floor coverings and seals the decoration in the goods. The ultimate result is that when the sheet is accorded the severe usage normally given to floor coverings, the decorations still last' until the sheet is worn almost all the way through from top to bottom, and the saturant being tough and permeating the sheet throughout, so likewise the sheet has uniform density from top to bottom and resists wear as well after it is partially worn as when it is new. The same essential features which render thefbrous paper like sheet serviceable as just described likewise characterize the textile fabric floor covering article of this present invention.

Aside from the wearing qualities and the lasting qualities due to the impregnation of the color area through the thickness of the fabric, the goods of the present invention is of peculiar interest as a floor covering because of its appearance It offers a simulation of a woven article and like all woven goods, is light absorbent, and in contrast to painted goods does not reflect light to the same extent that a shiney painted surface reflects it. The upper wear coat which covers the textile goods helps to render the covering easy to clean, also protects the textile bers from wear.. One peculiarity of the use of the upper coating on the textile goods is a tendencyfor the coating surface to be slightly pitted, t-hus in conformation to the surface of the woven goods and this is true even though a substantial depth of coating layer is used. The pits are naturally not ness of the fabric, as desired, in an deep but are suicient to in part prevent the shiney appearance which ysome coated surfaces ossess.

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first decorated and then subsequently saturated possesses marked strength and wearing qualities and although the tensile strength of such a sheet is improved by the saturating treatment, it is nevertheless noticeable that the present invention with the use of textile oods which is saturated has very consideragble tensile strength. After being saturated, it does not stretch, and if mounted on a supporting base, as for example a bitumen impregnated felt base, it will maintain its shape and resist curling. A relatively thin textile fabric, when treat- -ed in accordance with the foregoing steps,

and when mounted on a supporting base, will provide even longer service as a floor covering than the usual painted felt base coverings. l

Decorative designs may be applied to the goods and the color of the designs can be restricted to certain zones 4and caused to penetrate substantially through the thickpredetermined zones, all as described 1nl my Patent 1,729,832, in which the procedure is applied to a paper-like sheet. A solid color may be used by dying the textile fabric of the resent invention before it is applied. If pigment colors are used instead of dyes, it is important'that the pigment should not clog up the pores of the fibers of the goods or unduly fill the spaces between the fibers or between the threads and thus perhaps preventA adequate saturation by the subsequently applied toughening transparent saturant. The solid color effects may also v be obtained by printing the surface contact application by means of a penetratin dye or stain` whlch will saturate the abric throu hout.

-Re erring to the 'accompanying drawing, 1 indicates a supporting base such as the usual floor covering bitumen impregnatedfelt. 2 is the textile fabric. 3 is an attaching cement for securing the fabric 2 to the basel, and 4 is the upper outer coating or wear surfacevof transparent material.

Figure 1 is a to plan view shown illustrating a checker oard or tile-like decoration in the textile goods and the` latter being 55 mounted on aV bitumen felt base.

Figure 2 shows an edge view of the Hoor covering shown in Figure 1 and illustrating the approximate relative thickness of the base and textile fabric thereon. l

- Figure 3 is a modified edge view showing the relative size and location of the materials specified in the present invention, and greatly magnified.

It will be observed that the decorative `coloring extends completely through the n alternate squares of white and blue, simulating the appearance ofl tiles and thus the ough the paper-like sheet which is /product has the appearance of inlay work.

'Ihe cementitious material 3' may be an excess ofthe saturating material used on the fabric provided it is of such a nature as a pyroxylin ester composition, or the cement may be someother standard water-proof cement.' The fabric may be saturated by dipping or by any other method apart from the supporting base and before being applied to the base, or it .can be glued to the base and thereafter im regnated with the decorative medium and fiiially with the saturant filling material. The outer coating 4 may be an excess of the saturant or it may be a subsequently applied coating.-

One satisfactory coating material for the saturant filler involving the use of a cellulose ester may be made up from the following:

20 parts by weight o f dry pyroxylin in a solvent mixture composedl of.v 30 parts by weight of either or both butyl alcohol or amyl acetate plus 30 parts by weight of anhydrous denatured ethyl alcohol. Preferably a drying oil is added, and resins and up with the use of so called gum-plasticizers,

of which dibutyl phthalate may be considered one example. In'this connection,.the parts used may be as follows for a suitable saturant formula:

Gum or resin, 100 parts by weight; plasticizer, 40 parts by weight; modifier (such as waxes and oils), 10 parts by weight; colloidal particles (such as zinc oxide, mica, carbon black), 20 parts by weight; solvent, 75 to 150 parts by Weigh The upper wear coat ofthe 'finished article may have- `a transparent coating of a durable wear material having a pyroxylin or cellulose ester base, or any transparent varnish will vserve as the outer coating within the deinition of this invention, although the t cellulose type of coating is preferable.

The -cement layer may be tinted or pigmented since by the vuse of a pigmented binder the color of the base may be hidden, and this treatment may be particularly desirable in coverings having paper upper` c sheet of black felt or to the surface of burlap, and thereafter the cementing medium may be used between the coated" base and the decorative fibrous layer. Such a paint coat would seal the base so far as its color is concerned and provide the base with a smoother surface to which ,to apply the upper decorative sheet.

Wherever reference is made to printing of artistic effects, it is presumed that the printing is done with dyes and penetrating inks, as contrasted to the usual printing with paint, as performed in paint coated and decorated felt base Hoor coverings in which paint is relied upon to provide a surface wear layer.

.I claim 1. A Hoor covering of the smooth surface flexible variety comprising a tough fiexible supporting base, a decorative woven fabric mounted on said base and having decorative coloring in the bers but not filling the spaces between the fibers and extendin substantially throughout the thickness o said fabric, said fabric being saturated substantially throughout its thickness with a transparent penetrating saturant filling material which is dense, tough and flexible, and which seals the decoration in said fabric and fills the pores between the fibersof the thread of the fabric and the spaces between the thread.

2. A floor covering of the smooth surface fiexible varietyA com rising a tough fiexible supporting base, a ecorative woven fabric mounted on said base and having decorative coloring in the fibers but not sealing the spaces between the fibers and extendin substantially throughout the thickness o 'said fabric, and an attaching medium uniting said fabric to said base, said fabric being saturated substantially throughout its thickness with a transparent penetrating saturant filling material which is dense, tough and fiexible, and which seals the decoration in said fabric and fills the pores between the fibers of the thread of the ,fabric and the spaces between the thread.

3. A-floor covering of the smooth surface flexible variety comprising a tough fiexible supporting base, a decorative woven fabric mounted on said base and having decorative coloring in the fibers but not closing the spaces between the fibers and extending substantially throughout the thickness of said which' is dense, tough and flexible, and which seals the decoration in said fabric 'and fills the pores between the fibers of the thread of the fabric and the spaces between the thread, and an outer wear coat consistv ing of a film of a transparent tough coating. v v v 4. A floor coveringcomprising an asphalt saturated base of relatively small tensile strength, a colored fabric of relatively high tensile strength associated therewith and a binder between the two that seals the asphalt saturant against association with the fabric.

5. A floor covering comprising an asphalt saturated felt base, a colored fabric associated therewith and a binder between the two 'that seals the asphalt saturant against\ association with the fabric. v

6. A floor covering comprising an asphalt saturated felt base, a woven fabric associated therewith and a binder between the two that seals the asphalt saturant against association with the fabric.

7 A floorscovering comprising an asphalt saturated felt base, adhesive sealin means deposited upon its upper surface, o a character which will seal the asphalt and a fabric associated with said base by means of said deposit, said fabric having the surface so ornamented vby coloring material that the coloring material is not effected by the sealing means.

In testimony whereof 'I affix my signature.

RALPH G. JACKSON.

los

fabric, said fabric being saturated substantially throughout its thickness with a trans-. parent 'penetrating saturant filling material i iso 

